Grace

Journal 2
I have driven from the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument all the way to the Sonora Desert Museum. It’s very big and tall. The entrance is a big door with a huge sign at the top that says Welcome to the Sonora Desert Museum. With all the state stuff like the flower, bird, tree etc. When you walk in there’s a gift shop to your right and the front desk to your left. Then there are signs pointing to where the exhibits are.

I went to the state things first. I saw a saguaro cactus blossom that has been living for 82 years! That was amazing. There was also a paloverde that for some reason never grew so it stayed a baby. After that I looked around at the other exhibits for about an hour and a half. When I was done I went to the gift shop for only ten minutes because I still had two stops to go to. After that I headed down to Tucson my next stop.

It was only a few minutes to get there so I didn’t stop anywhere. When I got there I went to my hotel first to check in and unpack. I was staying in the Holiday Inn my favorite hotel. I was staying the night in Tucson because my last two stops were there, Tucson and the La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo.

When I was done I still had about two hours until the rodeo started. That was ok because I wanted to look around Tucson. I went shopping for a little bit then I went to a Mexican Buffet for lunch well more like supper. I had two tacos and some chips with mild salsa and bean dip. The bean dip didn’t taste good at all, but the salsa was really good. By the time I was done it was 5:30pm and the rodeo didn’t start till 6:00pm so I still had time. I found this awesome ice cream place close to where the rodeo was. I went in and it was huge one of the biggest ice cream shops ever. They had every kind of ice cream you could name: chocolate. Vanilla, bubble gum, cookie dough, cookies n cream, and a whole bunch more! I had a sample of at least ten of them, but I bought the small tub of the cookies n cream. I didn’t want to buy a bigger one because it would melt before I could eat it. I was so full when I came out.

The rodeo was about to start and that was good. When I got to my seat the first man to ride was getting ready. He was riding a bull named Rhino. He was huge with a black streak down his back head down with red evil eyes. After they realest the bull with the man named Tim the bull went crazy! Tim was only on his back for two minutes and twenty- nine seconds. They said over the announcements that was the worst he ever did. The next bulls name was bone snap and he was bigger and tougher looking then the first bull. His huge beady red eyes with hate in them made him look like he was going to ram everyone in the crowd. His rider was Steve and he looked tougher than Tim by a long shot. Unfortunately he was only on for three minutes and forty- three seconds. They must have done the more angry bulls first because after the first seven bulls the men stayed on longer. The best time was eight minutes and fifty five seconds. After the bull riding it was 9:24pm and I was tired. I went straight to my hotel changed brushed my teeth and went to bed.

Journal 3
I am now at Wilcox right now. Seeing awesome sights. Did you now the population is 3,769 people. Wilcox has lots of hotels and on every hotel there is the Arizona state flag. I am wearing blue shorts with the state flower on them. My shirt has a picture of the state flag with the word Arizona over it.

Once when I passed a forest I saw ringtails swinging everywhere. Those are the state mammals. At every hotel there were like twenty paloverdes planted by them. After I was done I went to my next stop at White River. I had to stop twice at mobile for gas and snacks because it’s like 3 hours and 48 minutes to White river.

It was so hot it’s good I had a jeep with no roof. When I got there it was filled with rivers (no surprise). These rivers were more then rivers they were so big and awesome. I took about 70 pictures. I spent the whole time looking at them and taking pictures. Of course I did have one last stop before the day was done so I had to go. After I pack up to leave for Heber. It was only and hour and 56 minutes to Heber so I didn’t have to stop at all. When I got there I was tired of driving. I took an hour driving around Heber then I checked into my hotel. I was staying in the Best Western hotel. I was so tired I fell asleep in my cloths. I didn’t unpack or any thing. I just couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I was so exited. I was visiting the state capital.

Journal 4
I have driven from Heber to Phoenix which is where I am now. I am finally at the state capital and it is huge. There are 1,552,259 people (797,299 males 770,627 females). Phoenix is the biggest city in Arizona. Today I will be going to the football game and to Glendale. It is only 3:25pm and the football game doesn’t start till 5:30pm so I have at least a three hours. It is a home game Cardinals vs. Panthers. They are playing at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Any way I have three hours and there is a big city to see.

I was hungry so I found this Mexican Grill and it looked very good. So I went in and it smelled delicious. There was a huge grill in the back and there were like five men in black aprons and togas and they were standing around it. The grill was silver with a black streak all the way down the sides. The top was round and came a little off the stand all the way around. All the men were standing around it and cooking plates and the people on the sides (if you ever been to Hu Hot it was kind of like that only Mexican and not Japanese). I got my plate filled it up with two tacos and took it over. They took and I watched them make it (I timed them and it took like five minutes to cook it). I got it back and went to my table it smelled so good. I ate them down as soon as I sat down and they were the best tacos ever! After I was done I paid my check and left with a full and satisfied stomach. It was 4:23pm when I left and I was a little board. Did you know that Phoenix was incorporated as a city in 1881. I looked around for something to do. First I went to a shop that had a whole bunch of things on sale and on a sign in the window of the shop in big red letters New Items. So I went in to look around. There were shirts and pants on one side and other tools and toys on the other side. By the tools in the middle were the sale items. There were necklaces, jewelry, books, toys, etc. I found this book that was only five dollars on sale that was the history of Arizona. It showed the people who lived here back in the olden days and it showed some Indians. There was a figure of the Chief back then. In the back there was this necklace that belonged to an Indian warrior who was in fifty battles and never got hurt or anything, but then his camp got attacked at night by some other tribe and he was killed (that’s what the plaque said). It was 500,000 dollars and it came with the warriors spear and head band.

When I left I still had about a half an hour until the game. So I went to a park that was near by (Palo Park). It was called that because of all the paloverde trees. I was there for about twenty minutes because the stadium was ten minutes away. So after I walked for the twenty minutes I got into my jeep. I drove down to the stadium and there were at least a million people. I parked in the back where I actually found a parking space and I had to walk at least five minutes to the line of people. I waited at least an hour and a half then finally got to the top of the line. I paid for my ticket ($200) and walked in. First I went to the snack bar to get a drink and cotton candy. Then I went to find my seat the game was starting in five minutes. I was in seat 600 in the top row. I found my seat with a little help and sat down. By the time I had gotten situated the game was starting. The players came out to the field and got warmed up. When they were done a band and a man came out to sing the national anthem. After they were done the Panthers started the game with the kick off. They kicked it to the end the field and one of the Cardinals caught it. He was tackled a quarter of the way pass the field. Then they began the first play. They snapped it to the quarterback and ran to the other side.

He through it all the way to one side of the field and the guy who caught it only ran a few feet before he was tackled. They kept playing and during half time it was 20 to 17 with the Panthers in the lead! I stood up to stretch then sat back down. After the half time they got ready to play again and went into position. I had to go to the bathroom like twenty minutes after the half. I sat the rest of the game and it was pretty fun and good.

The game went into a half hour half time and when the game was done it was 9:02 and the Cardinals had won (41- 40)! I still had to go to Glendale. Glendale was only a few minutes away so that was good. By the time I got there it was 9:18pm. Glendale has 251,522 people (126,035 females and 125,487 males). It’s in the Arizona Maricopa County and 9.0 miles from Phoenix. Lights were still on in restaurants and in bars and there were lots of hotels like most city’s. I was staying in the Holiday Inn and Suites. I drove around before going to my hotel. First I drove around a few parks, but it was dark so I couldn’t see much. After I drove around in the dark I went to my hotel. I checked in I was in room 23. I went up and changed into my pajamas. Then I brushed my teeth and got into bed. I went straight to sleep because it was 10:25pm.

Journal 5
I’m in Happy Jack and it is very pretty. So are all the other cities too. The population is 641 people. That’s not a lot at all! Omro has at least 3000 and we are pretty small. It’s also not as much as the other cities. It’s in the country Coconino. I’ve never heard of that country before. When I looked at my car thermometer it said it was 61 degrees out. Not as hot as it usually is, but still very hot. I’m wearing a maroon shot sleeve shirt with shorts that have ringtails on the sides. Happy Jack is located at 34.663and- 111.479.

While I was walking around there were some people singing the Arizona March Song (Arizona’s national anthem). So I gave them $5 dollars. After that I saw a sales man give another man an apache trout. The man who bought it said “Ditat Deus” which means god enriches. Which is also like a blessing or thank you. Then when I was walking a cactus wren landed in front of me. I could see its brown with white strips on its back. It’s about 7 to 8 inches. After I was done I got back in my jeep and went to Flagstaff my next stop.

On my way there I didn’t have to stop at all because it was only a few minutes away. When I got there it was a lot bigger than Happy Jack. The population is 60,222 people. It’s located at 35 11 N and 111 37’52”W.[7]. I went to a shop down town and bought shorts with a paloverde vine growing on them. Along with the picture it said the “green stick” under it. Which is a nickname for the paloverde. By the time I was done shopping and walking around it was 4:45pm and I still had to go to Humphreys Peak (lucky for me that was also a short ways away about ten to twenty minutes). When I got there it was big. That’s because Humphreys Peak is the highest point in Arizona. The height is 12,633 feet above sea level. So it’s pretty big and tall. I had to pay $34 to go up, but it was worth it. When you looked down it was like being in a plane 12,633 feet in the air. So it was awesome!

I was there for about two hours till it closed which was about 7:24pm and I was hungry. So I found this diner and went in. It was very nice. Most of their food was either chicken or fish. I decided to have a smoked apache trout since I have chicken at home. When I got my food, which was at a fast time it was very good. A smoked apache trout with mashed potatoes on the side in gravy and a roll with butter. I have to say it was one of the best meals I ever had. Plus when I was done and my waiter brought me the bill it was only $22.70 dollars not bad for great food.

By the time I was done eating it was 8:57pm. I didn’t want to go to my hotel, which I had already checked into so I went to and ice cream parlor. Let my tell you tell you they have some of the best ice cream ever. I had a sample of their rocky road, cookies n cream, bubble gum, chocolate, vanilla, and cookie dough. I liked the cookies n cream the best so I bought a small tub. I knew if I bought a bigger tub it would melt before I eat it. Now it was 9:38pm and I decided to go back to my hotel. I was staying in the Holiday Inn room 37. So it was a pretty big hotel I was on the second floor out of 4 floors. When I got back I changed into my pjs and brushed my teeth then turned on the t.v. After an hour of CIS: New York I turned off the t.v. Then I pulled out a book I was almost done with (Percy Jackson and the Olypians: The Lightning Thief). After I finished the book it was 11:57pm and I was now tired so I went to sleep.

Journal 7
I am now at Prescott. I’m also going to the North Central University (which is also in Prescott). So I don’t have to drive far. It’s the seventh day of traveling all around Arizona. I am very sad that my adventure is almost done any way back to Prescott. Did you know that 21,013 males live their and 21,684 females. Girls rule! Prescott has a lot of hotels including my favorite the Holiday Inn and Suites. Unfortunately I was not staying in Prescott I was staying in Kingman.

I drove around and found this one store where they were selling beef jerky! I quickly parked and ran into the store. When I got in I almost fainted. I saw every kind of jerky I have ever had and a lot more original, teriyaki, peppered, spicy hot etc. I walked over to the sample table where I found every jerky only as a sample. Just picture the best jerky you ever had and double that by two. By the time I was done I never wanted beef jerky again, but I was stupid and bought a little bag of teriyaki beef jerky. After got out I kept driving around and man I saw about ten hobos asking for money. I went into a make your own shakes, well that was the worst choice I ever made. I just had to get a chocolate shake and when I finished it I regret ever going in there. I didn’t want to go anywhere else so I went and parked at a park. I took out my camera and went walking around. I saw this awesome cactus wren and lets just say don’t walk backwards and try and take a picture. I crashed right into a paloverde and broke my camera. So now I had a headache with a bump on my head and a broken camera (not the best picture I’ve taken). When I was done recovering I decided to go to my other stop at the North Central University (it’s a university).

The University is huge. On top of a huge spinning door it says Welcome to the North Central University in big bold letters that are gold. Then it has home of the ringtails on another big sign under it. I’m guessing that’s the name of their football or basketball team (ringtails are the state mammal). Next to the University are the dorms, and a cross from the University are apartments. When you walk in there are about three classrooms to the right that look like a cooking room. Then if you go down the hall more there’s the cafeteria in a big room that also looks like a theatre. When you go pass that there is a room where you go if you want to be a nurse. Pass that down the hall is where you learn to be a vet. All the way down the hall from that is where you learn how to be a cop. I checked out all the rooms and some of them were closed, but most were open. The bathrooms were by the cafeteria and bubblers by the bathrooms. I took a drink then I went to the cooking room because for some reason I liked to cook. There was a hug stove in the corner. By that there was a huge curved table and in that table was the machine that they use to fry the fries and other fried foods. Over to the left of the table was a big cutting table that they use for making salads and cutting. A whole bunch of seasonings and spices were on the right of the cutting board. Over in the other corner there was a huge pot that they used to make soup and other things. Plus there was this humongous fridge in the corner by the door. It was made of metal (and I think a little steal), but not sure. It was locked up with one chain all the way around with a lock hanging off of it. I decided that I was done with that room and looked at a few other rooms. I checked out the nurse room the vet room and five others. I had to go because a football team was coming in to practice. When they came in I decided to leave and go to Kingman my last stop. It was also the second to the last stop I had to go to before I was done.

I knew by the time I got there it would be late and I still had all of tomorrow to look at Kingman and Bullhead City. It was about 2 hours to Kingman and I had left at 6:37pm. I stopped for gas once because it was almost gone when I left. I got a bag of peanuts at the as station, but other than that I didn’t stop anywhere.

By the time I got there it was 8:54pm and I was very hungry. I found a McDonalds that was still open and went there before I went to my hotel. I got a medium diet coke and a double cheese burger with fries. I ate there and when I finished it was 9:27pm. So I went to the Best western where I was staying. I got my room key and went to my room. I was so tired that as soon as I brushed my teeth and got on my p.j.s I went to sleep.